Conventional golf clubs have a single shaft, typically joined to the club head at the heel of the club head. Impacting of a ball by the club head offset from its center of percussion will rotationally deflect the club head. The resulting torque impulse on the club shaft is resisted by the stiffness of the club shaft and the friction resistance of the grip to turning in the hands of the player. However, the energy expended to twist the shaft, and any friction losses in the grip, will reduce the return velocity of the ball. Deflection of the club head may affect the intended return path of the ball.
It is important in a golf putting stroke for the player to have a strong visual perception of the orientation of the club head face at impact with the ball. The player should also be able to relate the orientation of the hand grip to the orientation of the face of the club head. Conventional single shaft clubs with grips having a circular cross-section do not provide the player with either a strong visual or a tactile indication of the orientation of the club head face.
Joseph B. Thomas U.S. Pat. No. 4,795,153 illustrates a golf putter in which a portion of the shaft engaging the club head is bifurcated, a pair of narrowly spaced parallel tines being affixed to the club head at substantially 90.degree. to the club head axis and on opposed sides of the club head center of percussion. The club handle is shown as being parallel to the bifurcated portion of the shaft and is also therefore also oriented at 90.degree. to the club head axis. An angled shaft portion interconnects the bifurcated shaft portion and the handle portion of the club. The parallel tines of the bifurcated shaft portion define a plane which includes the axis of the club head, but the orientation of that plane is not conveyed to the player through the grip.